Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support – Data processing protection using cryptography – By stored data protection
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-01
2001-03-27
Peeso, Thomas R. (Department: 2767)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: support
Data processing protection using cryptography
By stored data protection
C713S152000, C713S152000, C380S052000, C380S056000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209097
ABSTRACT:
This patent application claims priority, based on the Paris Convention, of Japanese Patent Application No. 9-335621 filed with the Japanese Patent Office on Dec. 5, 1997, Japanese Patent Application No. 10-86148 filed with the Japanese Patent Office on Mar. 31, 1998, and Japanese Patent Application No. 10-139442 filed with the Japanese Patent Office on May 21, 1998, and the contents of those Japanese Patent Applications are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a contents processing system, a charging system and so on which permit harmony to be established between the protection and use of contents protected by portrait rights, copyrights, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Processing and editing various contents, for example, image data, and outputting them as hard copies from color printers, etc. are becoming possible due to the progress of a digital image processing technology.
However, if the processing, editing and outputting of the contents are allowed without order, copyrights and portrait rights are not protected, and the advantages of the proprietors of the rights will be detracted.
On the other hand, if the use of these contents is extremely limited, the contents will not be utilized.
Furthermore, although the contents are to be protected by copyrights and portrait rights, the right for the private and diversional use of the contents is ensured within certain limits. Therefore, the private use of the contents needs to be allowed to some degree.
In order to satisfy these requirements, a technique such as digital watermarking has also been proposed. However, the processing of data is complicated, and a complex system is required. Moreover, a system which performs data processing such as digital watermarking or the like has to be a dedicated system structured for the purpose of performing normally the processing. Due to this, from the point of view of a user who is not well acquainted with a data processing technique, the system is not easy to use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a simple and convenient system and method which permit the contents protected by various rights like a copy right, a portrait right, etc. to be used privately in such a manner as enjoying the processing and editing of the contents on a screen, while establishing harmony between those various rights and the right to privately use the contents.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple and convenient system and method by which a charge for using the contents can be collected when making hard copies of the contents protected by various rights such as a copyright, a portrait right, etc.
In order to achieve the above objects, a contents processing system according to the first aspect of this invention is characterized by comprising:
first medium mounting means for detachably mounting a first recording medium including encrypted contents stored therein;
second medium mounting means for detachably mounting a second recording medium including non-encrypted contents stored therein;
third medium mounting means for detachably mounting a third recording medium;
first selection means for selecting arbitrary contents from the encrypted contents stored in the first recording medium in accordance with an instruction from an operator, and for decrypting the selected encrypted contents to generate first contents;
second selection means for selecting arbitrary second contents from the non-encrypted contents stored in the second recording medium in accordance with an instruction from the operator;
combining means for combining the first contents and the second contents in accordance with an instruction from the operator, and creating combining mode data which represents a combining mode; and
recording means for storing, in the third recording medium, the encrypted contents representing the first contents, the second contents and the combining mode data, in response to an instruction from the operator.
According to such a contents processing system, the encrypted contents are in a decrypted state while being used in the combining, and are in an encrypted state at the point in time when they are stored in the third recording medium. Consequently, in order to reproduce the combined contents on the basis of the data stored in the third recording medium, the encrypted contents need to be specially decrypted. Because of this, the contents protected by various rights are used privately while being protected against illicit use due to the contents being encrypted in advance.
The second recording medium is diverted to the storage of the combination result when the recording means comprises encrypted contents recording means for storing the encrypted contents representing the first contents and the combining mode data in the second recording medium, in response to an instruction from the operator.
When the contents processing system comprises output means for acquiring the encrypted contents stored in the recording medium, the second contents and the combining mode data, decrypting the encrypted contents to generate the first contents, combining the first contents and the second contents on the basis of the combining mode data as acquired, and outputting an image obtained by the combining, the combined contents are reproduced by the output means. If the output means is independently operated with the user's payment of a worth or the like being determined as an image outputting condition, a variety of rights set to the first contents are protected in case of outputting the image.
Furthermore, a contents processing system according to the second aspect of this invention is characterized by comprising:
first medium mounting means for detachably mounting a first recording medium including encrypted contents stored therein;
second medium mounting means for detachably mounting a second recording medium including non-encrypted contents stored therein;
third medium mounting means for detachably mounting a third recording medium;
first selection means for selecting arbitrary contents from the encrypted contents stored in the first recording medium in accordance with an instruction from an operator, and for decrypting the selected encrypted contents to generate first contents;
second selection means for selecting arbitrary second contents from the non-encrypted contents stored in the second recording medium in accordance with an instruction from the operator;
combining means for combining the first contents and the second contents in accordance with an instruction from the operator, and creating combining mode data which represents a combining mode; and
recording means for storing instruction data which identifies the first contents, the second contents and the combining mode data in the third recording medium, in response to an instruction from the operator.
According to such a contents processing system, the encrypted contents are in a decrypted state while being used in the combining, and moreover, the encrypted contents themselves are not stored in the third recording medium, and the information which identifies the contents is stored therein. Consequently, in order to reproduce the combined contents on the basis of the data stored in the third recording medium, the encrypted contents need to be specially supplied. Because of this, the contents protected by various rights are used privately while being protected against illicit use due to the contents being encrypted in advance.
The second recording medium is diverted to the storage of the combination result when the recording means comprises instruction data recording means for storing sad instruction data and the combining mode data in the second recording medium, in response to an instruction from the operator.
When the contents processing system comprises output means for acquiring the instruction data stored in the recording medium, the second contents and th
Iwamoto Isamu
Nakayama Ryo
Baker & McKenzie
Peeso Thomas R.
Tokyo Electron Device Limited
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